Letters to the Editor

Beware of radon exposureJanuary is National Radon Action Month and the American Lung Association would like to raise awareness of how radon can affect your lung health. Many may not be aware of what exactly radon is; radon is a colorless, tasteless and odorless gas that is found in soil and forms radioactive by-products which eventually can damage tissue inside your lungs and cause lung cancer. Radon enters your home, school, or office building through cracks in the foundation or even through pipes and/or the water supply. People who have private wells are more at risk than people with community water supply.

Prolonged radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. There are countless health risks to those living inside a home with high levels of radon. According to EPA, smoking combined with radon exposure is considered a severe health risk.

Testing your home is the best way to find out whether you are being exposed to high levels of radon. The Lung Association sells radon kits for only $12. They are available at www.LungNE.org/products or by calling 1-800-LUNG-USA.

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-- Jeff Seyler, President & CEO

American Lung Association of the Northeast

East Hartford

Animal rescuer should Frederick Acker has blamed everyone but himself for having "his" dogs seized by Bethlehem Animal Control. Despite testimony by not only Bethlehem ACO Judy Umstead, the state dog warden and a local veterinarian about the conditions at his "rescue" Acker accepts no responsibility, falling back on all the dogs he placed, how little he profits, even that it wasn't "that" cold.

take responsibility

I find it especially disturbing that Acker has chosen the route of making comments such as the one in today's newspaper that he doesn't trust Umstead because she's only been on the job since last January. I would hope that at some point the media researches exactly what credentials and references Judy brought to the ACO position. She is well known for her work in dog rescue as a tireless advocate for dogs, experienced in rehabilitating and caring for abandoned, neglected, abused dogs, for years and years.

Contrary to Acker's early remarks that there was a plot to put him out of business: if he had gone by the rules, provided adequate heat, food, water, the proper cage size, proper care, he would have been welcomed in the rescue community instead of arrested.

Acker needs to take responsibility for his actions instead of whining about look what she did to me. He did it to himself. Now it is time for the legal system to speak for the dogs as they cannot except through the testimony of those who witnessed the situation in the barn.

-- Cecelia Brothwell, Harwinton

Use common sense forI am a legal gun owner. I am very sorry about what happed at Sandy Hook Elementary School but I didn't do it and I don't need to be punished.

gun control

Harsher penalties for criminals who use guns in the commission of their crimes would be an extremely sensible reaction. More effective controls on mentally disabled persons would be another. Incrementally stripping us of our constitutionally protected rights or making our guns less effective is not fair and will not prevent bad people from doing bad things.

The laws currently in place require that someone who wants to buy a rifle must pass a federal instant check and a two-week state background check.

To buy a pistol you need to obtain three letters of recommendation (in my town), take a gun safety course, have a background check and be fingerprinted by the state police (to obtain a concealed-carry permit), and then pass an instant check at the time of purchase. If this procedure is not sufficient at catching criminals, the mentally ill, etc., then maybe the authorities need to improve their databases.

I don't own an assault weapon as they are presently defined. But almost all guns are semi-automatic. I don't believe I even know anybody who hunts. I belong to a rod and gun club in Canaan and take various friends and family shooting once in a while.

I do worry about crime. What if I heard someone crashing through my front door at 3 a.m? At present I can protect my wife and daughters.

Some have always wanted to take our guns away from us. They exploit every horrific case as a way to nibble away at our rights. Their friends in the media help by suppressing stories where guns are used to save lives.

There will always be more events that compel us to "do something."

Let's punish the criminals that commit these crimes and stop harassing law-abiding citizens.